In general, there are only two types of pain that aren’t related to cancer or cancer treatment.

First, there’s musculoskeletal, or MSK pain, which is related to joints, bones, tendons, and ligaments. And, then there’s neuropathic pain, which is caused by tissue or nerve damage and is often described as a shooting or burning sensation.

You can learn about chronic pain by visiting sites like http://healinghandschiropractor.com, but pain is usually considered to be chronic when it lasts for at least three months.

In the following article, we’re going to explain what causes chronic pain, as well as how chiropractic treatments and exercises can help you deal with it.

Common Causes of Chronic Pain

In 2011, a study conducted by Queen’s University found that 55% of Canadians reported that they suffered from non-specific chronic pain. The majority of respondents claimed to have chronic pain in their joints, head, and back.

These types of pain are often caused by trauma or some sort of physical even, such as a car accident. However, most of the time, these types of pain present themselves as being non-specific. In other words, the sufferer doesn’t know the underlying cause of their pain.

Fortunately, there are many underlying mechanical or structural causes, which can address these issues through proper treatment and care. Learn more about the causes of chronic pain here.

Finding out the cause of chronic pain can be a bit like finding a needle in a haystack, however, chiropractic assessments can help diagnoses underlying disorders to help zero-in on the source of the pain.

Often, chronic pain is cause by conditions such as spinal stenosis, which is a narrowing of the spinal canal resulting in nerve compression, osteoarthritis, which results in joint pain and inflammation, as well as inflammatory arthritis.

The good news is that chiropractors are trained to examine and diagnose these conditions and suggest customized treatment plans tailored to the specific needs of their patients. These treatments may include mobilization, traction, spinal manipulation, as well as referrals to other types of specialists if required.

Also, most chiropractors suggest lifestyle changes and exercise to help strengthen core muscles to better support the spine.

Headaches and Chronic Pain

Chronic pain can also manifest itself in the form of headaches. In fact, headaches can often be debilitating and are considered to be chronic when you experience three or more in a row.

Chiropractors can help identify the potential sources of chronic headaches and pain. Depending on their findings, chiropractors are able to address the underlying causes such as muscular tension, joint dysfunction, as well as providing lifestyle advice to help alleviate the symptoms of chronic pain.

It’s also common for people who suffer from chronic pain to experience other issues such as insomnia, depression, or mood disorders.

Solutions from Your Chiropractor

Fortunately, no matter what type of chronic pain you’re suffering from, help is available. Treatments, such as chiropractic care, can help alleviate both acute and chronic pain symptoms, as well as correcting the underlying issues that are causing them.

In fact, a study in 2012 on U.S. citizens showed that patients who received chiropractic treatments for chronic neck pain, combined with a healthy and active lifestyle, were twice as likely to cure their chronic pain than those who used medication to treat their issue.

This study followed a total of 272 patients for 3 months. The patients had been randomly assigned to different groups. There was a spinal manipulation therapy group, a medication group, as well as a home exercise group.

And, to those in the medication group’s surprise, spinal manipulation and home exercise fared much better as a viable solution. Let’s take a look at some of the results.

30% of those in the home exercise group became pain-free.

32% of those in the spinal manipulation group became pain-free

13% of the in the medication group became pain-free

These results go to show that chiropractic care, when used as part of your overall healthcare regimen, can play an important part in assessing and managing most types of chronic pain such as those related to MSK conditions.